Articulated truss



April 6, 1954 H. HOFFMANN ARTICULATED TRUSS Filed June 28. 1950 'F'.Z'E E FLZ'E E MW MM mf m w E H Patented Apr. 6, 11954 1 Henry L-.HdflnaunM-ineanolis, Minn- Application June 28, 1950,'Seral No. 170,884,"l

This invention is-related to a-ltruss, and more particularly a crossbody-type of truss. Trusses are in wide general use and special skill is required to properly t or adjust the ordinary type of truss. Subsequent to the initial fitting, adjustments are required from time to time to adapt the truss to changing body contours which result from fiuctuations in weight. Because of the high-degree of skill required to properly fit or adjust a truss, the wearer must seek expert help to properly fit or adjust his truss. For this reason it is difficult to distribute trusses through retail outlets. Y A retail outlet is generally not in a position to provide the expert assistance required for a proper fitting. One `form of truss used in large numbers is made of a single band of metal, such as spring steel, which is bent to lconform generally to the shape of ra body to partially embrace the same as is designed to have the maximum pressure applied to the pad which overlies the hernial opening. To fit an individual wearer, the spring band must be sprung or bent and a compensating adjustment is required elsewhere in the band. It is in springingv the. band that great skill is required and a precise fitting is .required to secure beneficial results from the use of the truss.

It is an object of this invention to provide a truss made of articulated construction which can be readily adapted to fit the body of. a wearer and which does not require the use of special skill to make a proper fitting.

It isanother object of this invention to provide a truss having a plurality of pivotally connected sections whereby a wearer can readily adapt his r own truss to fit his body comfortably and to provide him with maximum benefits from its use.

It is more specifically an object of this invention toprovide a truss which comprises a band 4 having a plurality of sections adapted to have their adjacent ends pivotally joined together, means provided to `permit relative swinging or pivotal adjustmentof said sections and to hold the same securely in .a given position.

It is a still more specific object of this invention to provide a truss having in combination,

a band having a plurality of intermediate sec-vv tions, and a pair of end sections, said sections beingpivotally connected at their respective adjacent ends, thev end portions of said sections having parts of reduced thickness, said parts having :inter-engaging surfaces, means provided to'clamp saidA engaging surfaces inrigid position to permit.lateralladjustment'of tl'i'esame, and

2 claims. (c1. 12s-410s) -2 a pair of pads respectvelyconnected'to the outer ends of said end sections;- 1

These and other objectsand advantages of the i invention will be fully set forth inthe following I description made in connection with theaccompanying 'drawings in whichl ylike reference characters refer to similarrparts throughout the sev-` eral views and in whichz- Fig. 1 is a plan viewof-applicants device;

Fig. 2 is a view infront-elevation taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1 in the direction-indicated by the arrows; c.. I l

Fig. 3 is a view-in vertical sectionof a joint shown on an enlarged scale;

Fig. 4 is a view taken on line 4-4---of Fig. 2 with some parts shown in horizontal section;

Fig. 5 is la bottom plan view of the front or hernial pad with dottedl lines showing a change in position; Y l 1 Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view with some parts broken away and some parts'in section of a modification of a rear pad; y

Fig. '7 is a view in vertical-section taken on line 1-1 of Fig. 6 in the direction as indicated by the arrows with some parts shown in a different position by dotted lines; Y l v- Fig. 8 is a view in vertical section sho-wingr a modification of the band shown-Y in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 9 is a view inside elevation of the arm shown in Fig. 6. i 'l v Referring to the drawings, a band I-l) is shown. Said band is substantially flat and substantially rectangular in vertical cross section and is made of a flexible resilient material designed to bring a high degree of pressure to bearupon its end portions. In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated, a spring steel band is used. Said band I@ has in combination front and rear end sections fila and Ib respectively and a plurality of intermediate sections, such as lc, lud, ic and lef. Said sections are of different lengths. A front or hernial pad ll and a rear pad I2 are provided and are removably secured to the outer ends respectively of sections 10a and liib. Pad Ii is secured by screws l5 and I6 and pad i2 is secured by screw l1.

Pad ll is egg-shaped in plan -and comprises a backing portion I la made of a stifened sheet material, a facing portion IIb made of resilient material of substantial thickness and a covering Hc made of a soft material overlying said facing portion and being secured to said backing portion. Centered in saidbacking portion is a threaded aperture l Id and .spaced equi-distant therefrom in said backing portion are threaded apertures IIe and Ilf.

Pad I2 is of a general elliptical shape in plan and comprises a backing portion I2a made of a stiffened sheet material and a relatively thin padded facing portion |21) secured thereto. Centered in said backing portion is a threaded aperture I2c adapted to receive screw I'I. In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated said backing members I Ia and I2a are made of metal.

Pads IIY and I2Y as described above are of an ordinary variety and are in common use.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the inter-engaging end portions of adjacent sections are made of a reduced thickness, such as |09 and |01'. Said. end portions are circularly shaped, as shown in Fig. 4 and thus form cylindrical lugs `respectively integral with said sections. Said interengaging end portions are respectively provided with bores to be presently described having aligned axes extending vertically and transversely of said band I0. The end portion |09 has a bore IIlh which is interiorly threaded and end portion |01 has a bore |07' which has a smooth interior. The upper portion of bore |07' has a countersunk recess IIllc. When said end portions are in inter-engagement, said bores are in direct alignment. The engaging surfaces of said inter-engaging end portions have radially extending circumferentially spaced corrugations |01, as shown in Fig. 4. A locking member or screw I4 is provided having a countersunk head Ida and a slot |4b placed in said head and adapted to receive a screw driver or similar tool for rotating the same. When disposed in bores IIlh and |07', said screw or locking member is securely held in said threaded portion ich. The head portion Ida. is received in recess |07c and rests therein flush with the top surface of said recess.

In operation, locking members I4 are loosened slightly in each of the inter-engaging end portions. The truss is then positioned to embrace the body. The hernial pad is placed directly over the hernial opening and the rst or front section is positioned accordingly. As shown in Fig. 5, said hernial pad may be positioned for use on either the right or left front of the body and either aperture IIe or IIf is used accordingly. Then the locking members are tightened in respective order starting with the front or rst locking member as each respective section is positioned to conform to the contours of the body of the wearer. Whatever degree of pressure is required can be brought to bear upon pad I2 which overlies the hernial opening. Band I0 in comprising sections of diiferent lengths is particularly adapted to readily accommodate changing body contours and the wearer can properly make substantial or slight adjustments so that a precise fitting can be had at all times. The inter-engaging ends being circular in horizontal section provide for adequate pivotal adjustment. Adjustments are thus eaisly made as weight fluctuations cause changes in the body contours. The corrugations in the engaging surfaces provide a positive locked or clamped position when said locking members I4 are tightened. When the short sections, such as I0d and |0e, are in locked position, the larger sections, such as Illa, together with |00 and |02), together with |0f, respectively, act as cantilevers. Said longer sections provide considerable spring or tension which is focused at their respective end portions where it is most required.

The fact that adjustments are readily made permits the retail sale of applicants trusses through drugstores and similar outlets on a satisfactory basis because the wearer can iit his own truss properly. The ordinary type of truss requires a particular skill to be tted properly and to have subsequent adjustments made. Hence this item is not satisfactorily sold through a store but is properly sold by an expert tter. This need of anexpert fora proper tting increases the cost ofV a truss substantially and also restricts the scope of its distribution considerably.

A modied form of a pad and mounting is shown in Figs. 6 and 7. A back pad I8 is shown which may besubstituted for pad I2. Pad I8 comprises a cushion portion IBa which is of cylindrical shape and is made of resilient material of. substantial thickness. A pair of thin circular metal plates IBb overlie the cushion portion |3a centrally thereofV each having a lsemicylindrical channel |8c extending diametrically thereacross, said channels mating to form the cylindrical passage |80. A memberk I8e made of a strong flexible she-et material is disposed over plates I8b and is secured to said cushion portion Ita. by an adhesive. Another plate lah overlies said member IBecentrally thereof and is secured to plates ISb by a pair of spaced screws |5. Disposed over the face portion of said pad is a cover I9 made of soft sheet material and is secured thereabout by a draw string I9a.

An arm 2] shown as a round rod is disposed in passage and is rotatably secured therein by a spring clip 2| extending about the arm 2G in a groove 20a therein and having end portions extending through a hole |811 in one of the plates I8b. Said arm has an end portion Zlib extending at right angles thereto. A section of the band I0, such as I0n, is provided which in use with pad I8 is substituted for band section Ib and is secured in like manner to the adjacent section |0f. The `outer end of section |011 is provided with an enlarged portion |012 and extending vertically therethrough is an interiorly threaded bore |011. Adapted to be secur-ed in said bore is said end portion 20a. Thus pad I8 is rotatable transversely of said band portion and it provides a comfortable adjustment in being placed against the back of the wearer.

Referring to Fig. 8, band I0 is shown in vertical cross section and placed thereabout is a covering 22. Said covering is made of `a resilient flexible sheet material having durable wearing qualities and being impervious to body acids and perspiration. In the embodiment of the invention as illustrated, a plastic material is used. Said covering when used is placed'about the respective sections of band I0 and is made to accommodate the inter-engagement of adjacent end portions.

Thus it is seen that I have provided a truss of novel and efficient articulated structure which will give a wearer the maximum benefits from its use at all times as it permits the wearer to make proper` adjustment whenever the same is required.

It will of course be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details, varrangement and proportions of the parts, Without departing from the scope of applicants invention, which generally stated, consists in a device capable of carrying out the objects above set forth, in the parts and-combinations of .parts 5 disclosed and dened in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A truss comprising a band to be placed about the body of a person, said band having a plurality of sections, said sections respectively having integral therewith end portions formed as lugs having a thickness less than the width of said said lug portions adapted to overlap, screws respectively disposed in said overlapping portions to pivotally connect said sections and pads respectively secured to the remote ends of said band.

2. A truss comprising a band to be placed about the body of a person, said band having a plurality of sections, cylindrical lugs formed at adjacent of said sections respectively integral with said sections and having a thickness less than the Width of said band, said lugs adapted to overlap and having serrated mating surfaces, a screw disposed in said overlapping lugs to pivotally connect said ections, and pads respectively secured to the remote ends of said band.

Referencee Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 365,660 Wilkinson June 23, 1887 1,166,402 Grenzf-elder Nov. 16, 1915 1,191,305 Loux July 18, 1916 2,951,921 Turner Aug. 25, 1936 FORErGN PATENTS Nuns-.ber Country Date 594,725 Germany e Mar. 21, 1934 

